The great prophet Isaiah tells the reader of his God-inspired tome that there will be a certain song voiced one day in the land of Judah. One of the lines of that anticipated melody echoes a timeless principle that is worth humming deep within your own soul. Here it is, as recorded in Isaiah 26:3-4:
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the Lord forever
for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.
When reading this again and again, three chords ought to immediately be struck deep inside of you. The first one is quite clear: if you want peace you must keep your mind on the Lord. But Isaiah is not talking about any kind of peace; perfect peace is the thing to be realized. Imagine—perfect peace! Webster helps here by suggesting that “perfect” means “lacking nothing essential to the whole . . . being in a state of undiminished or highest excellence.” Can you imagine having deep within you such an abiding sensation of excellent rest? It can be yours! But something is needful.
That second chord reverberates with a call to trust in the Lord. To keep one’s mind on Him is the key to perfect peace. But what does that mean? What does that look like? Trusting in the Lord God is the chief manifestation of a mind focused on Him. And the enduring quality of that perfect peace is proportional to trust given “forever.” Pay careful attention here: when you lack this kind of rest it is never because God has moved away from you. It is always because you have chosen not to entrust yourself to the Lord.
Which brings us to the third chord and the tone it offers. The trust applied must have as its object the Lord God. He is the “everlasting rock.” He is unmovable. He is tireless. He is involved. He commands attention and respect by virtue of His existence alone, not to mention His awesome activities. No one or nothing can compete with the Almighty. His peace and rest is yours if you trust in Him.
Do you trust Him for perfect peace? Is your mind stayed on the Lord God? Perhaps the following prayer of commitment should be yours right now.
To you O Lord I turn
With faith fragile but true
Believing your rest is waiting for me
As I keep my mind on You.